Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what restrictions the Government has imposed on (a) Huawei, (b) ZTE, (c) Hikvision, (d) Hytera, (e) Alibaba, (f) Tencent, (g) Dahua, (h) China Telecom, (i) China Mobile, (j) DJI, (k) ByteDance, (l) Kingsoft, (m) senseTime, (n) Megvil, (o) SMIC, (p) China Unicom and (q) Fujian Jinhua.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
This is a matter for the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the G7 Japan 2023 Foreign Ministers’ Communiqué, published on 18 April 2023, whether the Government plans to take steps to align the UK's investment screening regime with that of the US as set out in the Presidential Executive Order of 15 September 2022 on Ensuring Robust Consideration of Evolving National Security Risks by the Committee on Foreign Investment.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK’s National Security and Investment (NSI) regime stays up to date with the evolving global security context. We have recently launched a Call for Evidence, seeking views on how the NSI system can be even more business friendly while maintaining and refining essential national security protections.
The UK works closely with a range of international partners in this area, including members of the G7. However, decisions made under the NSI Act are based on UK national security considerations, and the scope of the Act itself is carefully tailored to the needs of the UK.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will set out (a) the free trade agreements her Department is currently actively negotiating and (b) the number of FTE officials engaged in this work.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This Government is currently in negotiations with eight partners – India, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Switzerland, Greenland and the Republic of Korea. We also have plans to start negotiations with Turkey and the Maldives.
With the Machine of Government, Trade Negotiation Group increased its responsibility to cover wider trade policy and FTA implementation. In October 2023, DBT had 722 staff in the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of investments made by Beijing Jianguang Asset Management Co. Ltd in the UK semiconductor supply chain.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
A reliable supply of semiconductors is essential to the UK economy, enabling everything from the energy network to our communications infrastructure. The Government supports foreign direct investment into the sector, but where necessary will not hesitate to take action to prevent national security risks using the full range of levers available, including the National Security and Investment Act.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the relationship between Beijing Jianguang Asset Management Co. Ltd and the State Council of China.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Beijing Jianguang Asset Management Co. (also known as JAC Capital) is a subsidiary of JIC Capital. JIC Capital is reportedly a state-owned investment group with a 51 per cent holding of JAC Capital.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2023 to Question 2516 on Foreign Investment in UK and Overseas Trade: China, how many export control licences for (a) products and (b) services destined for China were refused in each of the last five years.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
HM Government does not publish data based on products or services, but individual refusals and the items that may have been refused under each one can be reviewed at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data via the Annual Reports, or via the Strategic Export Controls: Reports and Statistics website at https://www.exportcontroldb.trade.gov.uk/sdb2/fox/sdb/.
The following number of export licences with China listed as the end user destination were refused in each of the last five years:
Description of refused goods | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Goods rated for Military use only | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 13 |
Goods rated for non-Military use only | 71 | 67 | 89 | 112 | 238 |
Total | 73 | 69 | 92 | 113 | 251 |
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her Department's policy is on investment from UK investors in (a) the production of (i) semiconductors and (ii) microelectronics, (b) quantum information technologies and (c) artificial intelligence sectors in China; and what (A) statutory provisions apply to and (B) guidance her Department has issued on such investment.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As per the Atlantic Declaration, the UK and US have a shared objective in preventing our companies’ capital and expertise from fuelling technological advances that will enhance the military and intelligence capabilities of countries of concern. DBT, alongside other relevant departments, is assessing the potential national security risks to the UK posed by Outward Direct Investment, including within subsets of emerging technology. We have engaged with industry and posted guidance on GOV.UK
The Integrated Review 2023 is clear that the UK government supports a positive trade and investment relationship with China, where it is consistent with our interests, values, and national security.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the US President’s Executive Order on Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern of 9 August 2023.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are reviewing the Presidential Executive Order to consider the impact on the UK and UK businesses and consulting with industry during this time. We understand the US policy remains in a consultative phase following the issuance of the Executive Order. As such, it is still under development.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which spending programmes their Department devolves for administration to (a) local government in England and (b) other local spending bodies; and what the budget is of each such programme for each year for which budgets are agreed.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has set itself a mission that, by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal, with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution, with a simplified, long-term funding settlement. At Spring Budget, the Government announced the trailblazer devolution deals with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which included a commitment to introduce single funding settlements at the next Spending Review (SR) for these Combined Authorities. At Autumn Statement, the Government published a Memorandum of Understanding with GMCA and WMCA, setting out how the single settlements will work. The Government also announced an ambitious new ‘level 4’ of the devolution framework, including a single transport funding settlement for eligible institutions, and a ‘consolidated’ pot at the next multi-year SR covering two Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities investment themes – local growth and place, and housing and regeneration. Following successful delivery of the ‘consolidated’ pot, and learning from the trailblazers, Level 4 institutions will then become eligible to receive a single settlement from the subsequent multi-year SR.
Details of major funding programmes, including those administered by local government or other local bodies, are available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which spending programmes their Department devolves for administration to (a) local government in England and (b) other local spending bodies; and what the budget is of each such programme for each year for which budgets are agreed.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Details of major funding programmes, including those administered by local government or other local bodies, are available on Gov.uk.